BENGALURU, 4 AUG

The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed State public transport unions to suspend their planned strike scheduled on 5 August for a day. 

This decision allows the court to assess the outcome of ongoing discussions between union representatives and the Chief Minister.

A division bench composed of Justice KS Madagal and Justice MGS Kamal made the ruling in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by commuters reliant on public transport. 

The bench raised concerns, asking the petitioner's advocate, “Who will take care of the interests of drivers and conductors of the public transport corporations when there has been no wage revision for them for several years?”

The advocates for the State government and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) indicated that a joint action committee (JAC), representing employees from all four state-run transport corporations, had called for a strike despite an ongoing conciliation process. 

The JAC is demanding a salary increase retroactive to 1 January, 2024, along with the settlement of 38 months of pending arrears from 1 January, 2020, to 28 February, 2023, and a pay revision to last until 31 December, 2027.